| The Grit and Grace Project

A Mammogram Taught Me How Strong and Beautiful Women Are

Everyone warned me that when I turned 40 the dreaded mammogram would be there to welcome me. It is like a rite of passage into the middle-age years for every woman. I had my official introduction to the infamous squeezing machine just a few weeks ago. Though not as bad as my imagination had made it, it was still pretty close. While amazed that someone so brilliant actually invented this potentially life-saving procedure, I still see a lot of room for improvement in its user-friendliness. It’s clunky and awkward, not fitting to a woman’s contour in the least. But, I suppose it gets the needed job done and that’s the most important thing. I couldn’t help but chuckle when the mammography technician […]

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3 Simple Secrets to a Great Night’s Sleep

By Molly Dockweiler / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

I’m a teacher, which means my mind is on my students, the problems they share with me, the grading I need to do, and the next day’s lesson more than I would like to admit (but if you’re a teacher too, you get it). That being said, I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night because my mind is always racing. Over the last few months, I’ve come across some things that have really helped me fall asleep quickly when I lay down at the end of the day… Scent There are a couple of different things I use to make my room smell like I’m ready to go to sleep, but the shared factor is always lavender. Diffuse Essential

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When “in Sickness and in Health” Really Matters

By Ashby Duval / Faith

Remember those beautiful vows we make before God, our spouse, and our family on our wedding day? “I take you to be my husband/wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.” A few months ago, I got a new perspective on the vows “in sickness and in health.” I meant those words with all my heart and truth be told; I always thought I would be a great wife in that situation. I really love to serve others, and although I hoped with

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We Asked the Experts How to Crush Your New Year’s Resolutions

By Meaghan Dawson / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

The champagne is all popped. The New Year has been rung. Now what? This is a strange time of year, isn’t it? We’ve all spent the past month (and maybe longer depending on when you started your holiday revelry) indulging, celebrating, laughing and enjoying life to the full. And this is how it should be. Ringing in the end of the year with friends and family is a joyous time, meant to be savored. Most of us don’t calorie count at a party and this isn’t a time of year when we crank out new goals to be attained and to work toward. But the New Year? That’s when we get busy. We make plans. We start regimes. We join accountability groups.

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You Can Start an Exercise Habit, Here’s How to Do It

By Ashby Duval / Health & Beauty

Ah! The New Year is approaching. The Christmas cookies are showing up as dimpled marks on our thighs, and we pacify ourselves with the all too familiar, “When January comes around…” What is your game plan this year? Do you need one? Today is your lucky day. But let’s back up a bit to dispel a few myths so we start out with the right mindset. Find Your Why We all know exercise is good for us, but I think one of the reasons we don’t do it is that we are doing it for the wrong reason: weight loss. Did you know that’s not even one of the primary benefits? In fact, in regards to diet and exercise, diet is about

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7 Ingredient Swaps to Make Your Favorite Recipes Healthier

6 Easy Ways to Make Your Favorite Recipes Healthier

By Brittnay Sharman / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Does your family love a sneaky trip to the pizzeria or the local Chinese restaurant? Well, what if you could still enjoy those foods and not feel guilty? You just have to be a little inventive and make some small changes. You’ll master eating healthy in no time! Don’t Step Away From the French Fries The next time you want fries, try baking them instead of deep frying them in oil. When at home, try tossing your sweet potato wedges in a bag with olive oil and semolina. This coating will ensure you get a crispy oven chip every time. You can also try using a healthy oil like coconut to help reduce your cholesterol levels. Healthy Fried Rice (That Still Tastes

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How to Get Your Hormones in Check with Ashby Duval – 070

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreDo the words “hormone health” make you cringe? Our hormones get blamed for mood swings, tiredness, complexion nightmares, and even weight gain! But, could there be a little truth in that blame game? There is something to be said about understanding the things that can make you crazy! So, Darlene and Julie are joined by their resident “hippie in heels,” friend, and writer at Grit and Grace Life, Ashby Duval. Having lived through a personal battle with this issue, she brings insights into what role hormones play in a woman’s health and what to change if yours are out of whack. You’ll learn what to look for

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Hope for the Woman Struggling With Chronic Pain

By Laura Hurd / Faith

For the past 10 years, I have suffered from a painful autoimmune disease. It causes inflammation and pain in my joints and has often been the cause of distress within my spirit. Though I’m well acquainted with physical pain, I am no stranger to various types of heartache due to many trials I’ve endured. The first one that I remember was losing my best friend at the age of 16. She had a seizure in the middle of the night and was found unconscious the next morning. Just two years later, my dad took his own life shortly after the passing of my grandmother, for whom he was the primary caregiver. In the midst of all of this, my mom and stepdad

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On Business, Happiness & Health with Burn Boot Camp’s Morgan Kline – 065

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreCan you start a business, build a strong marriage, be a present mom, and take care of your health too? If you do attempt that balancing act, can you expect to be perfect, accomplishing all without the occasional failure? Absolutely not—but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to chase that dream you have! On this episode, Darlene and Julie talk to Morgan Kline, Co-Founder and CEO of Burn Boot Camp. She and her husband, Devan, defied odds (and haters!) to launch Burn Boot Camp in 2012, and today there are over 300 franchises across the country. She also hosts a podcast, and like all working moms, Morgan

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Avril Lavigne’s Powerful Song Is the New Battle Cry for People in Pain

By Laura Hurd / Life & Culture

All of my childhood I heard my mother tell my pediatrician that I was “healthy as a horse.” When I was able to fully understand what she meant and when I started seeing doctors on my own, I adopted the same mindset. I felt like I was invincible—immune to any unexpected disease or disorder. After hearing that coined phrase over and over, it became part of my identity. At the time, I didn’t understand the full weight of those words. I didn’t realize just how much pride I carried around on my steadfast shoulders until one morning when I was hit full-force with the reality of my mortality. My Story I was 23 years old when I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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9 Fitness Accessories That You Need to Try Now

By Ashley Vancil / Health & Beauty

Over the years, working out has become something that I love and look forward to doing, but it has taken me a very long time to get to that point. There have been lots of fad programs, bandwagon diets, and doing all the things everyone around me was doing. I would quit quickly and then be ready to try the next best thing once I inevitably gained some weight back. One day I decided to simply do the things I wanted to do when I wanted to do them. Once I began to follow that line of thinking, working out became enjoyable for me. Now, I look forward to it. It’s my little bit of personal improvement, and it’s not just for me

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5 Things You Can Do to Prevent Breast Cancer

6 Lifestyle Factors That Can Impact Your Breast Cancer Risk

By Megan Edwards / Featured Article, Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

In my early twenties, I started hearing more and more about breast health. I paid attention enough to know that I needed to conduct self-exams and get annual mammograms when I was older (maybe 50-years-old, I thought). But really, I just acknowledged that breast health was a thing. My thoughts on it all consisted of: I have breasts, and I need to pay attention. Like so many women in their early twenties, I felt invincible. No one in my family had ever had breast cancer, so it wasn’t something of concern. I had an “I’ll take care of it later” type of mentality. Until someone in my family has breast cancer and it became an alarming concern. My Mother’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis

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What It’s Really like Living with Type 1 Diabetes

By Hannah Bartlett / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Most of the memories feel distant. My stay at the hospital, my symptoms leading up to my stay, and even the years of learning to live a new lifestyle following my diagnosis require me to stop and think about the details. But there are phrases that my doctors said that will never fade. One quote was, “Oh, she’s not going home today. She’ll be staying overnight for the next couple days.” Another one was, “If your blood sugars continue like this for the next 30 years, you’ll end up losing limbs and going blind.” I especially remember the moment they said, “She has type 1 diabetes.” I was 15 years old, just getting ready to graduate eighth grade. I was at a friend’s

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How to Go Gluten Free (Without Hating It)

By Whitney Hsu / Health & Beauty

I’ve gone gluten-free for several periods of time over the past few years, and even now, I’m a little gluten-less-than-usual. And guess what? It’s not as hard (or as miserable) as you might think. Yes, you make concessions. Yes, there are foods that you will probably miss. But depending on the reason you’re going gluten-free (allergens, weight loss, or to support a family member who has to make that choice), you might be surprised at how successful and even happy you can be while you’re off gluten. Here are a few suggestions to help you along in the process: 1. Don’t feel like you can’t eat bread. Or pasta. Or whatever your glutenous pleasure is. There are plenty of gluten-free options for bread,

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3 Morning Health Rituals to Try Right Now

By Ashby Duval / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

One of your liver’s jobs is to break down fat and produce energy. It also takes substances, such as estrogen and BPA, and processes them so that they can be removed from your body when you use the bathroom. When you have excess toxins and hormones in your body, which is very common in this day and age, your liver can’t keep up. This can cause your body to hold onto excess weight. So, to keep my liver clean and working properly, I have 3 steps that I follow every morning: 1. Oil Pulling. This is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that aids in detoxing your mouth and body and also keeps your gums and teeth extremely healthy. Take about 1 tablespoon of coconut or sesame oil and swish

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need to exercise but lack motivation...how to get started

Need to Exercise? No Motivation? 6 Ways to Get Moving

By Stephanie Ramos / Health & Beauty

I’ve had stints in my life when I’ve consistently worked out and then I’ve had periods of time when I didn’t. Thankfully I’m currently experiencing the former. I know how hard it can be to get started, and I need a ton of help to stay on track! So, here are some quick, helpful tips to help you get the workout done! 1. Get Inspired I love following fitness accounts on Instagram! It’s so cool to see other women putting in hard work and achieving their goals, and it helps motivate me to want to reach my goals. Everyone has to start somewhere, and seeing others make progress is so inspiring! 2. Make a Playlist What songs pump you up? What music makes you feel energetic, invincible,

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Keto, Paleo, Vegan or Whole30? How to Pick the Best Diet For You

By Ashby Duval / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Oh, the diets. Anyone else out there as confused as I am? Although I’m always on the quest to learn more about health, I have to admit, my mind is swimming with all of this information! There are a lot of trends going on right now. Ketogenic, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Blood Type, Alkaline, Whole30, Gluten-Free…holy hemp seeds! I feel like ordering a pizza just looking at that list. Unfortunately, I think that’s what many of us resort to because the alternative seems too overwhelming. One diet tells us to focus on protein. Another claims that animal protein causes inflammation and tells us to stick to produce and whole grains. And yet another swears grains are the culprit for our inflammation. In college, when

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